1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tipple, that is, an apparatus for emptying loaded vehicles by tipping the loaded vehicles while on a framework. For example, the vehicles can be railroad cars carrying particulate matter such as coal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In systems for unloading vehicles, such as railroad cars filled with particulate matter (e.g., coal, grain or gravel), it is advantageous to turn the railroad car generally about its longitudinal axis to quickly and simply dump its contents. Only in this manner can these vehicles be unloaded in an efficient manner without constructing them and/or their unloading device in a complicated manner.
While various dumping systems for vehicles have been known in the art, they have tended to be cumbersome, complicated and expensive to construct. Additionally, many of these devices do not operate efficiently in that they do not roll the vehicle through a sufficient angle, have large power requirements or do not operate quickly. Typical conventional tipple systems are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 17,114 to Pearce et al; 304,831 to Leavitt; 327,506 to Wolcott; 563,939 to McBride et al; 855,267 to Tuttle; 1,195,398 to Richeson; 1,380,745 to Smith; 1,426,027 to Wood; 1,566,506 to Reese et al; 1,686,420to Repko; 2,344,742 to Shields et al; 3,232,459 to Sabin; and 3,760,961 to Habitsch.